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Update #2

We've unlocked the first Spheres of Might add-on: A book of new classes and archetypes for mixing Spheres of Might with Spheres of Power to create powerful masters of both magic and martial combat!

Update #1

You can find a preview of the system here. Take a look and leave a comment!

What is Spheres of Might?

Spheres of Might is a new system for handling martial prowess in Pathfinder and other D20 roleplaying games.

Barbarians, swashbucklers, knights, rogues; in the world of high adventure and fantasy roleplay, few things are as iconic as the martial warrior. From Conan the Barbarian, to Aragorn, or King Arthur and his knights, these champions of steel and valor stand on the front lines, battling foes beyond the comprehension of lesser mortals, and make the impossible seem like child's play.

Spheres of Might is a book for them.

Why a Martial Book?

When it comes to Pathfinder, and sometimes the whole tabletop RPG industry as a whole, it can seem like magic users get all the fun. Those squishy magicians have no shortage of spells and tricks to make their work enjoyable, but too often the warriors wielding swords and spears on the front lines lack the breadth of options afforded their magic-using peers; attack, move, attack, repeat. In real life, though, combat is anything but repetitive; facing an opponent quickly becomes an exciting yet terrifying dance, as combatants dodge, feint, counter, and make split second decisions that can lead to life or death.

Spheres of Might is designed to change the way martial combat works to make it more visceral, intricate, and cinematic. In this book, we introduce deeper and more robust options for martial combatants, giving them a greater number of tactics to employ each round, and supporting virtually any combat style imaginable from precise one-handed fencing to wild berserking and beyond. Additionally, because these new options build off of the core combat rules presented in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, anyone familiar with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game will be able to jump right in and begin using these new options without having to learn pages of new rules or terms first.

How Does Spheres of Might Work?

Like our previous release, Spheres of Power, Spheres of Might makes use of the Spheres system: through a system of talents gained by leveling, a martial combatant can unlock powers and playstyles via buying into a series of overarching 'spheres' that map to various techniques and playstyles (wrestling, fencing, throwing, etc.) then further refining these abilities through the selection of talents within those spheres. Each of these spheres provide many options in and of themselves, but are also designed to have high levels of synergy with each other, allowing players to mix the spheres to create their own custom combat styles, from a wrestler who pounds his targets into the floor with flying leaps, to a fencer who lures his targets to attack before taking them down with a powerful counterpunch.

By picking and choosing what styles and techniques they can perform, it becomes possible to construct any type of martial character desired, giving them a host of options to perform in and out of combat to fit whatever need may arise. While there are still countless ways to specialize and create a unique combatant, rarely will a Sphere of Might user find themselves without some trick or other up their sleeves.

Just as importantly as what Spheres of Might does is what it doesn't do; The Spheres of Might system does not add a whole new set of rules and terminology on top of the core Pathfinder rules, instead building off the existing framework in new and exciting ways that are easy for players already used to Pathfinder's combat system to understand and utilize. This has the added benefit of also meaning that Spheres of Might is highly compatible with many other martial augmentation systems, as well as previously-released classes from both Paizo and most 3rd party publishers.

What Will be Included in Spheres of Might?

If we are able to meet our initial goal, it will fund the creation of a 140 page, full-color, hardback book filled with new martial options. However, the best part about kickstarter is that the more backing the project gains, the more space the books can contain, adding more and more pages of content!

In its current form, Spheres of Might will contain over 20 spheres to provide characters new and interesting options in and out combat, as well as new feats, thematic variants, and 6 new classes custom designed to showcase the new options and bring a great many character ideas to life.

Among these new classes will be found:

The Armiger: Skilled mercenaries who learn to leverage every trick at their disposal to triumph on the battlefield, armigers learn to quickly and effectively use a variety of weapons in devastating combos.

The Blacksmith: Mighty powerhouses, blacksmiths' powerful physiques are complimented by talented minds that allow them to craft superior equipment for their allies, as well as providing them with beneficial buffs by maintaining their gear during downtime.

The Commander: Cunning leaders, commanders specialize in bringing out the best in their allies and exhorting them to victory.

And several more!

For helping us bring this book to life, we're offering many different rewards packages to reflect whatever method (print, PDF, hero lab) you use to run your games, as well as a few unique rewards as well. For those unfamiliar with the Spheres system who are interested in magic as well as martial combat, we have several reward levels that also include copies of our previous Spheres release, Spheres of Power, as well as Spheres of Power: Expanded Options, who adds many archetypes and abilities to the system.

More Details about the various reward levels can be found on the right-hand side of the page.

Thank You!

Thank you for looking over our campaign. Please, take a look at the pledge levels on the side, and thank you for helping us make Spheres of Might!

Risks and challenges

There are always risks when printing a book, be it a writer or artist falling through, an accident at the printers, or a problem with a distribution partner that causes delays in shipping. At Drop Dead Studios we've managed several kickstarters before this one and have had our share of unexpected delays and issues, but our team is experienced in navigating such issues, and we have never been forced to stop production on a book or send a backer away empty-handed. It is our promise that no matter what delays may strike a book, we will see that book finished and distributed.

We are still finishing two of the books promised in our Skybourne kickstarter, but Spheres of Might is being overseen by a different team so the finishing of one book will not delay the development of another. It is our intent to see Spheres of Might and all other books printed and shipped out to all backers before the end of the year.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 35 or more
About US$ 35

Soldier

Gain the Spheres of Might PDF and a softcover, perfect for throwing in a bag and using at the table! NOTE: softcovers, barring sufficient interest, will be printed through a POD service, which may unfortunately result in a lower quality print. International backers will pay additional shipping costs after the campaign, once we know exactly how much it will be.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 45 or more
About US$ 45

Sergeant

As the soldier above, but comes complete with hero lab files! NOTE: softcovers, barring sufficient interest, will be printed through a POD service, which may unfortunately result in a lower quality print. International backers will pay additional shipping costs after the campaign, once we know exactly how much it will be.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 60 or more
About US$ 60

True Hero

The greatest of martial warriors, gaining print, PDF, and Hero Lab files for Spheres of Might! NOTE: International backer will need to pay additional shipping costs after the campaign, once we know exactly how much it will be.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 200 or more
About US$ 200

Master General

Same as the Commander level, except you may also roll your NPC at a special gaming session at Paizo Con to pit your NPC against our host of trials! NOTE: We reserve the right to refuse any NPC request that is too outlandish. International backer will pay additional shipping costs after the campaign, once we know exactly how much it will be.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 10,000
About US$ 10,000

Patron Deity

The Patron Deity of Spheres of Might; we'll send you 10 copies of every product, an NPC and a place at the Paizo Con table, we'll name something in the book after you, and we'll send you a copy of every product Drop Dead Studios has ever or will ever make, ever! Finally, you will be remembered in the book and all future books as the patron deity of Spheres of Might!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 150 or more
About US$ 150

Commander

Gain a copy of Spheres of Might in print and PDF, and create an NPC to be included in the book, complete with a piece of artwork to be placed somewhere in the book! NOTE: We always reserve the right to refuse any request that is too outlandish. International backer will pay additional shipping costs after the campaign, once we know exactly how much it will be.